County APPG

The County All-Party Parliamentary Group (County APPG) acts as an influential forum to raise county issues – and opportunities – in Parliament and around Westminster.

This is a crucial period for county areas, with key reforms coming forward this year on local government funding, devolution, adult social care, and a range of other policy areas directly affecting county authorities and local residents.

The County APPG works to ensure that county authorities and their communities are given an influential voice, acting as a forum to raise county issues – and opportunities – in Parliament and around Westminster. It promotes and illustrates the importance of county councils and county unitary authorities to MPs, peers, ministers and policymakers, proactively engaging with government legislation and policy that affects local government and the public services that matter to residents in county areas.

Its current Chair is Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield.

The other current members of the County APPG are:

Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Vice Chair)
Rosie Duffield MP (Vice Chair)
Henry Smith MP (Vice Chair)
Peter Aldous MP
Lee Anderson MP
Baroness Harris of Richmond
Paul Howell MP
Kevan Jones MP
Sir Greg Knight MP
Greg Smith MP

Active since 2013, the County APPG has produced influential reports on social mobility, economic growth deals in county areas, and health and social care integration. The APPG hosts regular briefings and informal receptions for networking within Parliament.

You can download the APPG’s latest report, Levelling-Up Digital Connectivity in Counties here.

Download the APPG’s 2020 report Reversing The Decline of County Buses here.

The APPG’s 2018 report Social Mobility in Counties can be downloaded here.

As a key policies, Bills and legislation are set out, the County Councils Network (The County APPG’s secretariat) will provide insight and analysis on the key issues facing county councils and county unitary authorities.

Click here for the County APPG’s latest events

Read the County APPG Prospectus

Join the County APPG

If you are a Parliamentarian who is interested in joining the County APPG, please email countycouncilsnetwork@local.gov.uk

What the APPG does

Facilitate dialogue between parliamentarians, Government Ministers and local stakeholders; raising issues that APPG members believe are important to such groups.
Investigate, monitor, and report on issues relating to the implementation of relevant Government reforms which impact on county areas.
Develop productive working relationships with other relevant All-Party Parliamentary Groups where there is a common interest in issue impacting on county areas
Provide a point of reference for any parliamentarian looking to understand aspects of county areas, providing a resource for research and information.
Provide regular briefings on current challenges facing county areas and the contribution that they make to the overall national economy and well-being.
Undertake inquiries into specific policy issues facing county areas, producing in-depth inquiry reports with practical, evidence-based recommendations.
Host parliamentary events to discuss upcoming legislation and provide a forum for all county representatives to identify common issues.

Call: 020 7664 3011

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The County Councils Network
5th Floor, Local Government House,
Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ